scholarly journals Can Topic Familiarity Override Language Proficiency in Reading Comprehension?

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soheil Mahmoudi ◽  
Asgar Mahmoudi
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Topic Familiarity ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
Level Of Difficulty ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Topical Knowledge

The present study investigated the impact of topical knowledge and language proficiency on the reading comprehension of Iranian EFL students. The Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was used at the beginning of the study to divide the students into two groups of low and high proficiency. Both the high and low proficiency students later read two texts of almost the same level of difficulty but different in terms of their familiarity to the students. The obtained results indicated that topic familiarity cannot override language proficiency in reading comprehension; that is, low-proficiency students could not catch up with high-proficiency students even in familiar topics.

scholarly journals Test-Taking Strategies and Reading Comprehension: A Correlational Investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-165
Author(s):  
Fadi Al-Khasawneh
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
Test Taking Strategies ◽  
Efl Students

There is an increasing interest of studies investigating the correlation between Test-Taking Strategies (TTSs) and reading comprehension achievement among EFL learners. The relationship between the aforementioned variables is still unclear and more studies are needed on this area. The major concern of this study is to examine the correlational relationship between the use of test-taking strategies and reading comprehension. The sample of this study included 64 undergraduate students majoring in English language in King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. The present research employed three instruments for data collection process; English Language Placement Test was used to distribute students according to their proficiency level, two reading passages taken from TOEFL reading comprehension tests, and a questionnaire adapted from Cohen and Upton (2007) asking about TTSs. The results of the present study illustrated that Saudi EFL students used test-taking strategies at a moderate level. There was no statistically significant correlation between test-taking strategies use and students’ achievement in reading comprehension test. There was also no significant differences between test-taking strategies and students; achievement in reading comprehension attributed to language proficiency level. Some pedagogical implications for EFL teachers were presented and discussed.

scholarly journals The Effect of Topic Familiarity on Improving EFL Saudi Female Students` Reading Comprehension: تأثير النص المألوف لقطع القراءة في تطوير فهم الطالبات السعوديات الدارسات للغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Afaf Ayed Alrowaithy
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Topic Familiarity ◽  
Arithmetic Average ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Assessment Design ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Saudi Female Students

This study investigates the effect of topic familiarity on the reading comprehension performance of Saudi EFL students. Forty EFL Saudi female students on second year high school performed two tests: familiar versus unfamiliar topics in a multiple-choice format reading comprehension test each have 10 points with four texts two familiar and two unfamiliar texts. Quantitative analysis was undertaken in this study as a T test applied for both paired samples. The descriptive statistics shows that the arithmetic averages the students` performance on familiar topic larger than the arithmetic average on unfamiliar topic. The analytical statistics that identified the differences between both arithmetic averages shows that the differences among the students' performance on familiar and unfamiliar topic were large and have statistical significance in favor of their performance on familiar topic. Further replication of similar studies is necessary to determine the potential impact of topic familiarity on reading instructions and assessment design.

“Google and me together can read anything.” Online reading strategies to develop hypertext comprehension in ESL readers

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 896-914
Author(s):  
Kshema Jose
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Strategy Training ◽  
Online Reading ◽  
Esl Teachers ◽  
Topic Familiarity ◽  
Online Reading Comprehension ◽  
Online Texts

If we are to build in our students, literacy skills relevant for the 21st century, reading classrooms need to take into account the changing nature of texts that our students are required to read in real-world contexts (Alexander & The Disciplined Reading and Learning Research Laboratory, 2012). This paper exhorts ESL teachers to use online texts or hypertexts, in addition to print textbooks, in the reading classroom. The use of hypertexts can increase the literacy participation of students by making reading authentic, and ensuring literacy skills they acquire more meaningful and productive (Coiro, Killi, & Castek, 2017). In the reading classroom where this research was located, it was observed that readers who scored low on reading comprehension tests based on print texts demonstrated higher levels of comprehension while performing on tests based on hypertexts. The study was conducted to identify the reading strategies used by these readers. It was found that ESL readers were able to overcome deficits in their prior knowledge (topic familiarity) and/or language proficiency by using specific reading and navigating strategies. This paper proposes that strategy training in the use of newer reading and navigating strategies might help develop online reading comprehension expertise and build independent reading habits in ESL readers.

Language learning strategy use in context: the effects of self-efficacy and CLIL on language proficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-220
Author(s):  
Nils Jaekel
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Impact

AbstractLanguage learning strategies (LLS) are suggested to facilitate learning and support learner autonomy. The integration of content and language in foreign language education increases the cognitive work load. Furthermore, self-efficacy has been identified as a key predictor for strategy use and language achievement. The present study aimed to (1) investigate LLS use in content-based versus traditional foreign language environments and (2) assess the impact LLS use and self-efficacy have on language proficiency. Participants were Year 9 Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and regular English as a foreign language (EFL) students (N=378) in Germany. Structural equation modelling, controlling for a range of confounding variables, showed that (1) there was no difference in LLS use between CLIL and EFL students. (2) LLS use had a negative impact while self-efficacy predicted higher language proficiency. These results suggest that students may best be supported by enhancing their self-efficacy while they should carefully choose their strategies.

scholarly journals Iranian EFL Learners’ Realization of Condolence Speech Act: An Interlanguage Pragmatics Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-119
Author(s):  
Maryam Sharif ◽  
Lotfollah Yarmohammadi ◽  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mortaza Yamini ◽  
Mohammad Sadegh Bagheri
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Interlanguage Pragmatics ◽  
L2 Proficiency ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Addition Level

This study was an attempt to compare and contrast the realization patterns of condolence speech act in English and Persian and to examine Iranian EFL learners’ realization of this speech act in English. The study was further interested in investigating whether Iranian EFL learners’ realization of condolence speech act is associated with their level of L2 proficiency. To this end, a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) was administered to 82 undergraduate Iranian EFL students in English. The participants were divided into three levels of language proficiency (elementary level, intermediate level, and advanced level) based on their scores on the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). For baseline comparisons, the EFL learners also received the translated version of the same DCT in Persian, and the English DCT was administered to 20 native speakers (NSs) of American English. The data were analyzed based on Elwood’s (2004) coding scheme. The results revealed that English and Persian NSs and Iranian EFL learners had access to the same condolence strategies, yet they differed in the semantic formulas, content, or forms they adopted to formulize their condolence expressions. In addition, level of L2 proficiency was found to be associated with Iranian EFL learners’ realization of condolence speech act. 

The Impact of Reading for Pleasure on Georgian University EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension (IBSU Case)

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramazan GOCTU
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Effective Work ◽  
Pleasure Reading ◽  
Comprehension Skills ◽  
Reading For Pleasure ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Graded Readers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Reading is one of the most significant skills, particularly for EFL students. Many students today do not have the reading skills needed to do effective work in their courses. This paper explores reading for pleasure, its importance and impact on reading comprehension. Pleasure reading helps students to communicate, listen and, most importantly, to express themselves freely and it also allows them to acquire specific language skills. That is why reading for pleasure is definitely important. An experimental study using reading for pleasure was carried out at international Black Sea University for eight weeks with 42 English Philology freshman students. The experimental group was given texts for their selection: newspaper articles and graded readers on various topics which students were interested in, while the control group has just read the reading excerpts and texts which are given in their course book. The duration of the experiment was 8 weeks. Pre- and post-tests were implemented to determine the degree of improvement of students’ reading comprehension skills. The experimental group showed better improvement of comprehension skills.  The study demonstrated a measurable positive effect of reading for pleasure on students’ language acquisition.

scholarly journals The effect of podcast on vocabulary learning of elementary EFL students

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1097-1102
Author(s):  
Saeid Angouti
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
Efl Students

The present research which is within the domain of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) will try to show the effect of using podcasting on vocabulary learning of elementary EFL learners. In this experiment, the researcher will go through a pretest-posttest control group design to find out the effect of using podcasts on an experimental group in comparison with a common way of teaching vocabulary in the control group where the teacher presents a list of the same words by writing on the board, repeating and translating them. The participants of this study will be at the elementary level. In order to have relatively the same level of language proficiency, an Oxford Placement test (OPT) is going to be used at the beginning of the research. At the end of the semester (after 2 months), both groups will be examined by the same multiple-choice test to assess their performance on the material. The results will show whether using podcast has any effect in developing knowledge of vocabulary.

scholarly journals The Impact of PQ4R Strategy Use on EFL Students' English Reading Comprehension

EDULANGUE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-35
Author(s):  
Nurul - Lailatul Khusniyah
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
T Test ◽  
Study Program ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
English Reading Comprehension ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of PQ4R strategy on reading learning at English Study Program Universitas Islam Negeri Mataram. The research was used action research method. The sampling was taken by 34 students. The validity of data used credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability. Reading comprehension ability achievement questions prepared by the researcher. It was used as the data collecting tool. These questions were implemented to both groups before the experiment. Independent sample t-test was used for data analysis. The result of the study that t-test result is t-stat (5.38) > t-table (1.99). It means that there is a significant difference was found in reading comprehension learning

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